Cornice fitting



FeB.25,1958 H. K. LORENTZEN 2,824,606

CORNICE FITTING Filed Aug." 25. 1955 ln h MW I WWII.

INVENTOR HANS K. LORENTZEN M ,..;%Z44.. 1's ATTORNEYS United States Patent Q CORNICE FITTING Hans K. Lorentzen, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., Hohoken, N. 3., a corporation of New York Application August 25, 1955, Serial No. 530,572

2 Claims. (Cl. 16038) This invention relates to metal cornices, and more particularly to a cornice fitting and assembly.

Cornices are often used across the tops of Windows to conceal curtain rods and the tops of window drapes, and, at the same time, contribute to the over-all decoration of a room. Cornices usually are mounted a short distance inwardly of the wall, i. e. towards the inside of the room. The cornice is ordinarily somewhat longer than the window is wide and the end portions of the cornice frequently extend rearwardly and about the wall a short distance from the sides of the window opening.

Cornices frequently are made of a strip of sheet metal that is provided with inturned longitudinal edges. Commonly, the cornice strip is curved rearwardly near its ends, with the ends extending to the wall at right angles thereto. The end fitting of the present invention is intended for use with cornices of this type.

The fitting comprises a body portion formed to telescope over an end of the cornice and provide a generally flat rectangular cornice-end portion that extends across the end of the cornice and more or less closes the end of the cornice. A retainer flange of the fitting extends forwardly from the cornice-end portion, first in generally parallel spaced relation to the adjacent body portion of the cornice and then inclining toward the body portion of the cornice and resiliently engaging the same.

This end fitting, which is preferably finished in a color or design matching the cornice, constitutes a slight terminal enlargement of the cornice so as to give it an improved appearance. The fitting also provides a smooth end bearing for the cornice, thereby obviating cutting and marring of the wall by the end of the cornice. In addition, the fitting serves as a drapery support, as will be explained.

Drapes are often brought against the wall at each side of the window, generally folowing the rearwardly-extending end portions of the cornice. In various installations, depending in part upon the ceiling height above the window and in part on other factors, it may be desirable to mount the cornice higher or lower with respect to a curtain rod and the top of the drapes.

In order to provide a support for the rearwardly extending portion of the drapes at each side of the window, and at the same time to support this portion of the drapes at the same height as the rest of the drapes regardless of the relative height (within limits) at which the cornice and curtain rod are mounted, a series of holes are provided in the retainer flange of the end fitting for selectively receiving a drapery hook. These holes preferably consist of a series of vertically aligned slots which desirably are positioned along the convex surface formed by the intersection of the parallel and inclined portions of the retainer flange. The hole of the series at the proper elevation for supporting the top edge of the drape substantially level 'is selected for hanging the drapes.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a cornice end fitting which will protect the wall surface from being cut and marred by the end of the cornice,

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which will provide an enlarged end bearing for the cornice, which will provide a support at proper elevation for the draperies within a range of cornice heights, to provide such a fitting which is easily and cheaply manufactured as a sheet-metal stamping, and to generally improve fittings of the type described.

Other ob lects, and the nature and scope of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed descriptionto follow.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a typical cornice installation, showing the cornice equipped with end fittings in accordance with the present invention and showing the. top portions of a Venetian blind and drapes, an upper corner of one of the drapes being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged isometric view of the cornice, curtain rod, and drapes of Fig. 1, portions of the cornice and curtain rod being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the end fitting of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section throughthe end fitting in position on the cornice, taken as generally indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the end portion of the cornice, taken as generally indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the cornice 10, with which the end fitting of the present invention is adapted to be used, comprises a sheet metal strip having a generally flat body 11 which may bear longitudinal ribbing or corrugations. The longitudinal edges 12, 12 of the cornice strip are turned rearwardly and inwardly at more or less right angles, the cross section of the cornice being three sides and portions of the fourth side of a rectangle, the confronting edges of the incomplete fourth side lying in a common plane. The rearwardly-and-inwardly directed longitudinal edges 12, 12 not only add to the appearance of the cornice, but also reinforce the cornice against bending.

The cornice 1t} ordinarily is mounted across the front of the top portion of a window (not shown), the length of the cornice being somewhat greater than the width of the window opening and the cornice sometimes spanning two or more window openings. The end portions 14, 14 of the cornice 10 are rearwardly directed, disposed in a plane perpendicular to the length of the cornice and extending to the wall surface 15 on either side of the window opening. Preferably, the rearwardly extending end portions 14, 14 are provided by bending the cornice 10 on a circular arc, the inwardly-turned longitudinal edge portions being supported against collapse during bending. The cornice 10 is supported by a series of two or more sheet-metal brackets, one bracket 21 being shown.

Cornices of the type shown in the drawings are frequently used with window drapes 16, 16, one drape being located adjacent each side of the window opening.

7 Oftentimes a Venetian blind 19 is located in the window opening, but the cornice assembly and fitting of the present invention may be used without regard to whether or not a Venetian blind is also used. It is desirable from the standpoint of appearance and for other reasons to bring the outside edge portions 17, 17 of the drapes to the wall surface 15, more or less following the contour of the rearwardly extending end portions 14, 14 of the cornice 10.

The drapes 16, 16 are supported by a curtain rod 20 located behind the cornice. The curtain rod 20 is supported by two or more of the sheet-metal brackets 21 (one shown) which also support the cornice 10. The curtain rod is straight and extends parallel to the front of the cornice 10. Preferably, the curtain rod 20 is of the traversing type, the top edge of each drape 16 being suspended at intervals from riders 22 capable of being traversed along the length of the rod for opening or closing the drapes.

In forming the cornice 10, the cornice strip ordinarily is severed from a length of stock by a cut-off die, the cut being made in a plane perpendicular to the face 11 of the cornice, and without distorting or collapsing the cornice in the zone of the cut. However, the severed ends of the cornice strip, even though cleanly out, are more or less sharp. If the dies have become a little dull, the cut ends may have burrs. To finish off the ends of the cornice, protect the wall surface 15 against being marred, and provide a support for the rearwardly directed outside edges of the drapes, a cornice end fitting 24 is applied to each end of the cornice.

Each cornice end fitting 24 is a unitary sheet-metal stamping the fitting has a body portion 25 which is shaped to follow generally the contour of and telescope over the end of the cornice strip. The body portion 25 overlies and extends a cross the vertical face of the cornice, across the horizontal portions of the longitudintal edges 12, 12, and along at least a part of the width of the inwardly directed portions of the longitudinal edges 12, 12. A generally flat, rectangular cornice-end portion 26 extends laterally from the body portion 25 and, upon assembling the fitting on the cornice, more or less closes the end of the cornice strip. The cornice end portion 26 covers the end edge of the face portion 11 of the cornice and provides a smooth bearing for abutting against the wall surface 15. If desired, outwardly pressed zones 27, 27 may be formed adjacent the top and the bottom of the corniceend portion to provide a smooth, rounded bearing area for the fitting 24 to prevent marring of the wall surface 15. Ordinarily, the only portions of the cornice assembly which will contact the wall surface are the zones 27, 27 of each end fitting.

A vertically-disposed retainer flange, designated as a whole by 29, extends from the inner vertical edge of the cornice-end portion 26 of the fitting 24. This retainer flange 29 has a flat zone 30 disposed in parallel spaced relation to that part of the fitting body portion 25 which overlies the vertical face of the cornice at 14 in Fig. 5. Zone 30 of the retainer flange 29 merges with zone 31 which inclines toward fitting portion 25; see particularly Fig. 4. Zone 31 merges in turn with zone 32 which is disposed at the angle shown in Fig. 4.

When the fitting 24 is in applied position on the end ofthe cornice, the retainer flange 29 resiliently engages the inner face of end portion 14 of the cornice, thereby holding the fitting in attached position. Due to the angle of terminal zone 32 the retainer flange 29 readily rides over the vertical terminal edge of cornice portion 14 when the fitting 24 is telescopically applied thereto. Prefer ably body portion 25 of the fitting projects beyond the free edge of retainer flange 29 to facilitate application of the fitting to the cornice. This permits the body portion 25 of the fitting to be started over the end of the cornice. Continued telescoping movement of the fitting 24 causes the retainer flange 29 to ride over the vertical edge of portion 14 of the cornice and resiliently engage the rear face of that portion.

A series of vertically extending slots 28 are vertically aligned along the juncture of the zones 30 and 31 of the retainer flange. These slots provide a series of holes at different heights for selectively receiving a drapery hook 33 (Fig. 2) which supports the top edge of drape R6 and holds the vertical edge of the drape against the wall. Depending on the space between the top of the window and the ceiling, and upon personal preference, it is often desirable to mount the cornice 10 with its longitudinal center line above or below the curtain rod 2%. The end fitting 24 of the present invention is adaptable for a wide range of cornice-mounting height, in that the drapery hook 33 is engaged in the individual slot 28 of the series which will support the top edge of the drape in substantially horizontal.

The location of the slots 28 along the convex surface formed at the juncture of the zones 30 and 31 facilitates engagement of the drapery hook 33 within the slot selected.

The reduction of the net section of the retainer flange 29 along the line of the slots contributes to the resilience of the flange and facilitates its attachment onto the end of a cornice strip.

I claim:

1. An end fitting for a sheet-metal cornice having a generally flat face and rearwardly-and-inwardly-turned longitudinal edges, said fitting comprising: a unitary sheet-metal stamping having a body portion shaped to overlie and conform generally to the face and longitudinal edges of the cornice, a generally fiat, rectangular plate portion extending across the end of the cornice in a plane perpendicular to the face thereof, and a retainer flange formed on an edge of the plate portion and extending in generally parallel spaced relation to that part of the body portion adapted to overlie the face of the cornice and terminating in a cornice-engaging end converging with said part of the body portion for resiliently engaging the back of the cornice, the retainer flange having a series of vertically aligned slots formed at the junction of the parallel and converging portions of the retainer flange.

2. An end fitting for a window cornice that is in the form of a sheet metal strip having a vertical Web and upper and lower inturned longitudinal edges, said fitting comprising: a one-piece sheet metal stamping having a sleeve portion conforming to the vertical web and the inturneu edges of the cornice strip for telescopic application to an end of the cornice strip, having a transversely disposed cornice-end portion for providing the cornice strip with an end wall when the sleeve portion of the fitting is telescoped onto an end of the cornice strip, and having extending from the cornice-end portion a vertical resilient flange which makes resilient holding engagement with the vertical web of the cornice strip when the sleeve portion of the fitting is telescoped onto an end of the cornice strip, said flange having a plurality of openings at different heights for selective reception of a drapery hook; said fitting being independent of the support for the cornice.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,375,247 Rebholz May 8, 1945 2,536,947 Lavorgan Jan. 2, 1951 2,640,533 Junkinc June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,824,606 February 25, 1958 Hans K. Lorentzen It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as cor rected below.

In the grant, lines 2 and 12, and in the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 and 4, name "of a'ssignee, for "Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corpfl', each occurrence, read Lorentzen Hardware Mf'ga Corp; column 1, line 23, after "wide" insert 'a comma; line 24, for "about" read w abut line 50, for "folowing" read following column 3, line 1'7, for "stamping the" read m stamping. The line 20, for "extends a cross" read extends across column 4, line 62, list of references cited, for "Lavorgan" read Lavorgna line 63, for "Junkinc" read Junkunc a Signed and sealed this 22nd day of April 1958a (SEAL). Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE Attesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

